I had saved an audio interview that Seth Godin had in his blog, and finally got around to listening to it. It’s a talk that he did, along with answering some questions, on how a non-profit organization can raise money in a society like we have today.

Check it out here.

The longer I’ve thought about it, the more true it becomes to me: churches need to create interactive experiences for their members to act out their faith. These experiences will give the people who take part in them a story to tell. When people get to tell a story about themselves doing something that was positive, and happened because of their church then the church will become interesting. Interesting to people who don’t do church, but do enjoy **blank**

Seth Godin has given me the green light.

I know that a lot of people are panicking about the economy, and all the different uncertainty that is going on. That didn’t effect the decision that Josh and I made last week. It is a theme throughout the Bible, and it was time to act, not a time for fear.

I have loved the idea of working for myself for as long as I can remember. My parents do it, and I think that it is the best way to live. There is no ceiling. You can succeed more than you could ever do inside someone else’s company. The risk is, you can fail. I’m willing to fail. Are you?

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. - 1 John 4:18 NIV

The new version of the Oral Roberts Ministries website is up now. I designed it, and would love to have feedback.

www.orm.cc

In other news, on October 31st, I will be a full-time freelance Graphic Designer. I’ve put in my resignation, and I’m trusting God for the wisdom and favor to be able to make a good living and have the freedom of being my own boss.

I started telling about my trip to El Salvador earlier, and while I meant to continue the story in country, it didn’t happen. But, long awaited… here’s the rest of the adventure of Mission: El Salvador, and some of my favorite photos.

Day 2:
The doctors and nurses arrived in San Salvador. We also tried to find weights for the jib, since we didn’t want to pay to bring 350 lbs of weight on a plane. We didn’t succeed in finding any, unfortunately. Most of today was spent going through all our gear, getting ready for the days ahead, and trying to solve any minor set-backs.

Day 3:

Brian and I accompanied the medical team to the ocean for a day of prayer, bonding, and planning for the days ahead. We interviewed them and talked with them about what they were expecting, and how they got involved in helping out with this effort. The team is a group of really great people, and it’s been very good to talk with them and get to know them.

Day 4:
Today was the first day of the medical clinics. The medical team, some of the worship team, Ryan, Eric, and I went to the clinic. We were set up in the middle of a community that is built of trash. The houses are built of sticks and branches, and then covered with garbage bags, sheet metal, old billboards, and cloth. Around 1500 people, whole families, live there with little protection against the wind, the rain, and the sun. These families are often too poor to buy enough food, let alone visit a doctor when they are ill. There is water in rain barrels around the community, but it is not safe to drink. The people have many medical problems due to the conditions.

In this community we set up to have the doctors examine those that needed help. We brought food, medicines, and also prayer to these people.

Ryan, Eric, and I teamed up with Joy, who interpreted for us, to be able to talk to an old woman. She is 89 years old, and her name is Clara. She is beautiful. We talked with her for several minutes. We were able to give her some food and she took us back to her house. We walked though the barbed wire yards, and through the side-streets to the corner of the cardboard city.

She lived in a small hut, divided into two rooms by a sheet. The house was built of wooden sticks and poles, with corrugated sheet metal for a roof. In the front room was the make-shift kitchen area, and in the second room, an old thin mattress, with tattered sheets on top. There was a small, lopsided dog barking on the floor.

We talked with the old woman about what her life was like, and we were able to talk with several of the women who live beside her. It is a very hard life for them, and they wish that there was more help.

As we were leaving, a woman pointed across the road to a structure that was being constructed. Poles were in place, and a portion of the roof was put on. The woman said that her husband was building a church. She told us that currently many people meet with several pastors who come to visit, but they meet in someone’s house. Since the houses are so small, not many can come hear the pastor. By building a larger church building, she said that over one hundred people would be able to go to church together.

This was very overwhelming to us. We were surprised to find such love for God among people in such hard conditions. We prayed with our sisters, asking God to send them the help and encouragement that they needed, and to draw all the people of this cardboard village to Himself.

This video is awesome. It’s also sadly true. Thankfully, things don’t always get this bad… but I hate it when you have to keep adding and adding and adding garbage to perfectly understandable and good designs.

End rant.